Chapter 292: Dead
Matteo tossed and turned relentlessly in his bed, tormented by his thoughts. Should he have called Stella after she left the office? He had yearned to, to confess his true feelings, but he restrained himself, understanding the weight of her recent struggles. Yet an unease clawed at him, refusing to grant him any semblance of sleep.
In the quietude of the night, his internal battle reached its peak. Succumbing to the persistent restlessness, he decided on a midnight drive. Maybe just checking on her, ensuring she was safe and sound.
At the time, it was twelve-forty.
En route to her apartment, he dialed her number, hoping to gain some solace in her voice. But the call went unanswered, nudging him with a faint pang of concern. Perhaps she was asleep, he reasoned, almost turning his car around. Yet, a distant, flickering glow caught his attention - flashing blue and red against the night’s canvas. An ambulance and police lights adorned the vicinity of Stella’s apartment building.
Fear gripped him, a cold sweat forming as he accelerated towards the scene. Heart pounding, he abandoned his car and rushed to the building, his eyes fixated on the stretcher emerging from the entrance. A desperate prayer echoed in his mind...
Please, not Stella... please, not Stella...
His silent prayers crumbled to dust as his eyes fell upon her lifeless form, a pocket knife embedded in her stomach. Grief and regret flooded him as he noticed that she was still wearing the same clothes she had left the office in. The realization hit him like a heavy blow—this had happened nearly two hours ago, during his fitful moments of restlessness.
A shrill ring in his ears drowned out the murmurs of the onlookers. Ignoring the attempts of the medical staff to restrain him, he surged forward towards the stretcher bearing Stella’s covered body.
"Take that damn thing off her!" His voice cracked with anguish, the raw pain of the moment searing through his words. Despite his desperate demands, they continued to drape the cloth over her, obscuring her face. He fought against their grip, breaking free and reaching for her, his trembling hands tracing her lifeless features.